This has been a cold, wet winter for the most part. Plenty of 35-degree rainy days, and so far no snow. Total yuck. But today…today was spectacular. Here in central North Carolina we enjoyed a gorgeous Sunday with clear blue skies, gentle breezes — and 72 degrees! Wow!
With a weekend day this beautiful in the midst of a crappy winter, there was no way I was staying indoors. My son, who is studying horticulture, suggested we go to one of our favorite parks, Sarah P. Duke Gardens, on the campus of Duke University in Durham.
Duke Gardens is indeed a beautiful place, but I’d not been when there were no leaves on the trees or flowers in bloom. However, even in this season it is lovely, and a wonderful place to enjoy a long walk and get outdoors for some much-needed fresh air.
We took about a 90-minute hike around the park, stopping often so my son could explore and identify different trees and plants.
A day like today also serves as a good reminder that spring is getting closer, and there will be many more sunny, warm hikes to come. Yay!
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©Michelle Rogers, Inc.
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